Periscope structure



April 2l, 1953 F. cHAlMsoN PERISCOPE STRUCTURE Filed June 9, 1950 INVENTOR. FREDERKK L..cHA\MsQN Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to periscopes, and more particularly to a periscope of the type adapted to be formed from a folded cardboard blank.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved periscope which is very simple in construction, which is easy to form, and which is provided with improved means for retaining the mirrors of the periscope in accurately parallel position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved periscope which is very inexpensive to manufacture, which may be made from a single cardboard blank, and which requires no special fastening means for securing the mirrors of the periscope inside the housing thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational View of an improved perscope constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a blank employed to form the periscope of Figures 1 to 3.

Referring to the drawings, the periscope is designated generally at I I and comprises a rectangular, elongated housing formed of cardboard or other suitable foldable material, the housing comprising the front and rear walls I2 and I3, the side walls i@ and I5, a bottom cover shown at I6, and a top cover shown at I'I. The front wall I2 is formed near its lower end with a substantially rectangular, large aperture I'I, and secured in the lower end of the housing facing said aperture is an inclined mirror I8, said mirror being rectangular in shape. The top margin of the mirror is secured beneath a pair of inwardly struck tabs I9, I9 formed in the lower portion of the rear wall I3, and the lower edge of the mirror I8 abuts the inside surface of the bottom iront corner of the housing, as shown in Figure 3. The rear wall I3 is formed adjacent its top end with a large, substantially rectangular aperture 20, and secured in the top end of the housing is a mirror 2| which is arranged parallel to the mirror I3. The lower margin of the mirror 2I is secured behind a pair oi` inwardly struck tabs 22, 22 formed in the upper portion of the front wall I2, the top edge of the mirror 2! being in abutment with the upper rear corner of the housing.

In using the device, the viewer holds the periscope in a substantially vertical position and looks through the lower aperture I1', whereby he may observe images transmitted to the mirror I3 from the mirror 2 I.

Figure 4 illustrates one form of cardboard blank which may be employed to construct the periscope housing or box, above described. The blank comprises four sections which are shaped to define the respective front and rear walls I2 and I3 and the respective side Walls I4 and I5. The sections I2, I4, I3 and I5 are arranged in side by side abutting relation and interconnected with each other along abutting side edges by fold lines 30, BI and 32 respectively, the sections being foldable upon each other along said fold lines to form a four sided open ended enclosure. A tab 23 is positioned adjacent the non-abutting side of the outermost section or section I2 and is interconnected to said side by and foldable along a fold line 33, a face of the tab 23 having a coating of adhesive for securement of the nonabutting side of the other outermost section or section I5 thereto. IA rst flap 24 is arranged longitudinally of and adjacent one end of the outermost section I2 and has one end connected to the one end of the section I2 by a fold line 34, the flap 24 being foldable along the fold line 34 to close and provide a cover I6 for one of the open ends or bottom of the enclosure. A first auxiliary flap 24' is arranged longitudinally of and adjacent the other end of the rst flap 24 and is interconnected to the other end of the flap 24 by a fold line 35, the ap 24 being foldable along the fold line 35 to engage the innerface of the section I3 of the enclosure. Arranged longitudinally of and adjacent the end of the section or section I3 which abuts the other of the outermost of the sections or section I5 opposite the one end of the innermost one of the sections or section I2, is a second flap 36, the flap 36 having one end interconnected to one end of the section I3 by va fold line 31 and foldable along the latter line to close and provide a second cover II for the other of the open ends or top of the enclosure. A secondary auxiliary flap 33 is arranged longitudinally of and adjacent the other end of the second flap 36 and is interconnected to the other end of the flap 36 by a fold line 39, the nap 38 being foldable along the fold line 39 to engage the inner face of the section I2 of the enclosure and form a four Walled box with closed ends. The section I2 adjacent the ap 24 is provided with a viewing opening I'I and the section I3 adjacent the ilap 36 is likewise provided with a similar viewing opening 20. Adjacent the other end of each of sections I2 and I3 are a pair of tongues 22 and I9 respectively, the tongues 22 and I9 being interconnected to and foldable upon the sections I2 and I3 to form an anchor for the mirrors 2| and I8 when the latter mirrors are supported in the box contiguous to the openings 20 and II'.

Opposed flaps 25 and 26 project longitudinally from the ends of the section I4 intermediate the outermost section I2 and the section I3 abutting the other of the outermost sections or section I5 and of the other outermost of the sections or section I5, each pair of flaps 25 and 26 being interconnected by fold lines 40 and 4I respectively to said sections I4 and I5, the adjacent flaps of the pair of aps 25 and 26 when folded being in engagement with the covers I6 and I'I.

While a specific embodiment of a periscope and blank for forming the periscope housing have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture for use in producing a periscope structure, said structure comprising an open ended collapsible rectangular tube having four elongated sections interconnected by fold lines along their abutting longitudinal edges so that said tube may be collapsed into a substantially flattened condition, a iiap foldable inwardly from one end edge of one of said sections and closing one end of said tube, another flap foldable inwardly from one end edge of the section parallel to said one section and closing the opposite end of said tube, each section of a parallel pair of sections having a rectangular opening adjacent one end thereof and a plurality of laterally spaced tabs spaced inwardly from the opposite end thereof with the opening and tabs of one of said sections disposed opposite the tabs and opening, respectively, of the other of said sections, the tabs of each of said sections being folded interiorly of said tube along a line substantially coplanar with the innermost transverse edge of the opening of the other of said sections to form an anchor for one edge of a mirror which is adapted to be disposed diagonally between said parallel pair of sections, and each foldable flap providing an anchor for the opposite edge of the mirror when disposed between said parallel pair of sections.

2. An article of manufacture for use in producing a periscope structure, said structure comprising four elongated sections arranged in side by side abutting relation and interconnected by fold lines along their longitudinal edges, securing means connecting the non-abutting longitudinal edges of the outermost sections together by a fold line to thereby form a foldable blank of an open ended rectangular tube in collapsed condition, a flap adapted to be folded inwardly from one end edge of said one of said sections and to close one end of said tube when said blank has been shifted to its open condition, another flap adapted to be folded inwardly from one end edge of the section alternately disposed to said one section and to close the opposite end of said tube when said blank has been shifted to its open condition, each section of an alternate pair of sections having a rectangular opening adjacent one end thereof and a plurality of laterally spaced tabs spaced inwardly from the opposite end thereof with the opening end tabs of one of said sections disposed in reverse relation with respect to the tabs and opening, respectively, of the other of said seetions, the tabs of each of said sections being adapted to be folded interiorly of said tube along a line substantially coplanar with the innermost transverse edge of the opening of the other of said sections when the blank has been shifted to its open condition to form an anchor for one edge of a mirror which is adapted to be disposed diagonally between said alternate sections, and each foldable flap when the blank has been shifted to its open position providing an anchor for the opposite edge of the mirror when disposed between said alternate sections.

FREDERICK L. CHAIMSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,178,748 Nicholson Apr. 11, 1916` 1,265,273 Stokes et al May 7, 1918 1,300,901 Warner Apr. 15, 1919 1,494,531 Corcoran May 20, 1924 1,816,321 Foss July 28, 1931 2,041,932 Hutchins May 26, 1936 2,071,121 Harlow Feb. 16, 1937 2,155,164 Harris Apr. 18, 1939 2,173,106 Gerhardt Sept. 19, 1939 2,197,506 Moss Apr. 16, 1940 2,377,671 Burlo June 5, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,137 Great Britain of 1960 

